Thin Air
by lovelielove
Summary: The team accepts a new case involving a boy's mysterious disappearance from his closet.  While working to solve the case, Mai and Lin's tentative friendship grows into something much stronger than they could have ever predicted.  Mai/Lin
1. Chapter 1

AN: Characters do not belong to me. Some maybe OOC. This is my first published fanfic so please be kind. Case idea comes from something half-remembered from an old Unsolved Mysteries episode. Enjoy and review please!

Thin Air

Chapter 1

October - Friday

Taniyama Mai was a 3rd year high school student with a very unique part time job. She was working for Shibuya Psychic Research as an assistant. Her duties included filing, taking phone calls, manning the receptionist desk, light cleaning, making tea for my boss and and clients, and helping solve cases in which paranormal activity is effecting people's lives. Unique. Mai had seen dolls get up and move on their own, windows rattle and shatter, doors mysteriously slam and lock, ceilings and floors crumble while standing between them. She had been cursed, attacked, and possessed by spirits, demons, and seemingly nice people. She'd witnessed death and nearly been killed herself - several times, on the job. Mai could have always gotten another part time job if working for SPR seemed too dangerous. When things got bad she even considered it but decided that it can be scary, but helping trapped spirits find their way home and the lighthearted moments in-between with the team Mai had come to regard as family makes the danger worth it. The pay was pretty good, too.

It was during the autumn of her third year working with SPR that a woman walked in the door, bringing in the cool outside air and the case that would change her life.

Naru and Lin were in their respective offices, compiling data and researching and the like. It was autumn break, the beginning of October, so she'd been in the office all week catching up on a backlog of filing and doing some deep cleaning of the various office rooms. Mai was brewing a new pot of tea, her own mix of white and green that both men seemed to like. It was an unusually cold week so, her tin of loose leaf tea was already running low with all of the hot tea she was making. Mai made a note in her head to purchase more for the office. Naru had delegated the office shopping to her when Lin complained about having to break away from his computer and work to buy groceries and office supplies. The two men practically lived in their offices so she was even making lunch and dinner a few times a week. She felt a warm sense of satisfaction when she saw the office kitchen was well used and well stocked thanks to her. Mai sometimes brought groceries to their flat once Naru had given her a key in case of work emergencies. She had taken it upon herself to tidy up Lin and Naru's luxurious apartment once a week or so when I stopped by with groceries. Not part of my job description, but no matter how organized and type A both men were, they were still just two bachelors in a rental. It's equal parts amazing and horrifying to Mai how many instant ramen bowls, beer cans, and take out boxes two grown men can leave lying around after only a week. Besides, no one was ever around the flat to complain. And neither Lin nor Naru even acknowledged the extra chores she had taken on. Despite the lack of gratitude, it felt nice to do something domestic for someone besides herself after so long.

Mai had already finished most of the office cleaning earlier in the week wearing old dusty t-shirts and torn jeans for days so, she had decided to dress up a little that day. She was feeling cheerful despite the ever hovering black cloud that was the end of autumn break and she hummed an upbeat tune, while tidying the kitchenette waiting for the tea to brew. Pretty clothes never failed to lift a girl's spirit. Mai wore a long, ruffly, green and pink printed skirt, a white blouse, a pair of nice grey leather boots, her favorite jade necklace, and set of her mother's old bracelets. It was a nice change from cleaning clothes and school uniform. She gave a mental thank you Ayako-san and her half insulting half generous shopping spree to repair Mai's "completely juvenile" wardrobe.

"Mai, tea!" Naru-chan's voice boomed from behind his office door. So, much for cheerfulness. But Naru's foul moods had long since stopped bothering her personally. The crush she'd had on the handsome boy had faded over the years to feelings of general affection the prickly man and memories of dreams of his brother. Mai shook her head ruefully at that thought. It's complicated. It's always complicated.

"Coming!" she called back. She poured the finished brew into three warm porcelain cups on a tray and made her way to the Naru's office door. Knocking softly and balancing the tray on her hip, she walked into the room, facing a wall of windows and surrounded by tall bookshelves. Mai reached the desk that dominated the center of the room and set the cup and saucer on his desk far enough from the computer and with in his reach enough that he wouldn't complain, and walked out the door. He didn't raise his handsome face at all from his computer, every inch the professional in his impeccably cut black suit. She knew not to wait for thanks from that one.

The two cups left rattled softly as she took the few steps toward Lin's door and knocked. "Enter," his smooth voice called distractedly.

She poked my head in. "Tea, Lin-san?"

"Eh? Oh, yes, thank you, Taniyama-san. It's cold again today," he murmured. Lin-san's office had a different lay out than Naru-chan's, low book shelves all around and a large L-shaped desk facing the wall with two monitors near the rear/center of the room. While Naru's shelves were stuffed with only reference books and binders, Lin's shelves held a few photos, plants, and knick knacks and the walls had various art pieces framed up. The windows here let in a bit more of the warm afternoon sun. He too didn't initially look up when she walked in with the tea tray. He seemed irritated with his computer and shoved his mouse away from himself in disgust. The steaming tea cup and saucer tinkled when Mai set it on Lin-san's desk and turned to leave with her own cup. She heard his chair creak as it swiveled around and just as her feet reached the door she heard him quickly ask in a dry voice, "Why don't you sit for a while, Taniyama-san? This program is frustrating and I could use some company."

She was surprised, but pleased and Mai turned back to him smiling. "Sure!" He pulled up a chair near the corner of his desk and she placed my own cup and saucer on his desk, leaning the tray on the floor. Picking up her cup, Mai thought she saw Lin-san eyeing her now shoulder length hair, but dismissed it as a trick of the light. We both sat comfortably as we sipped from our tea. They'd had tea like this before when the quiet of the office seemed a little too lonely. Thinking back, Mai couldn't remember Lin-san ever asking her to sit together. The few times in the past year that they'd had tea together it just happened by chance that she ended up leaning her hip against a shelf in his office and chatting with him while he listened. Or he sat on one of the couches in the sitting room where she brought him a drink and stayed again to talk. "So, what seems to be the problem with your computer, Lin-san?" she asked, amused at his frustration. Lin seemed to never be flustered.

He considered the question for a moment before answering in his mellow voice. "Well, it's not so much the computer as it is the equations that Naru is having me input. They're not adding up. I can't figure out what step I may have missed." He sipped a mouthful of tea, closing his eyes briefly in pleasure. "I showed him the problem this morning but he only told me to check again." Lin gave Mai a look to say, 'You know how he is.'

She did. Mai smile crookedly and said slyly, "Did Naru-chan create the equation by any chance?"

He gave he a puzzled look. "Yes - why?"

Shrugging, she asked, "Could it be possible that you didn't miss any steps? That it's Naru's equation that's incorrect?"

Startled, Lin swiveled his chair to face his computer screens and looked again at his failed results, pulled out a sheaf of notes, made some scribbles with a , then let out a bark of laughter. He swiveled back to Taniyama, eyes glowing with triumph and a smirk on his lips. "You're right. The equation is wrong. How did you know?"

She laughed. "It's funny that everyone seems to think that Naru is infallible." She smiled again. "Even Naru. I-" The jingle of the bell from the front door rang through, and she sighed. "I'd better see who that is." She quickly bent to pick up the tray and placed their empty dishes onto it, balancing it on her hip again as she opened the door. Mai thought for a moment that felt his eyes follow her as she walked out of the room and dismissed that thought away with a quick shake of her head. Mai hadn't wanted to leave Lin's office just as they began to really talk. It was so rare that he opened up to her as a friend and even more rare that he laughed and truly smiled. Despite the cold of the day, she felt warm all over from their brief tea.

"May I help- John-san! I thought you were in Australia for a few weeks! Didn't you only leave on Saturday?" Mai set the tray down at her desk to greet John with an enthusiastic hug. Traditional greetings with John had gone out the window after a particularly awkward case where Mai and John had been trapped in a crate together and they'd been able to get to know each other. They talked for hours to relieve their fears before Bou-san had found them and released them from the crate. From then on, John was more friend than team member.

"Mai-chan," the boyishly handsome foreigner smiled brightly as they parted. "It's good to see you again. I came back early because I think I may have found a new case. The client should be here shortly." Just as the last words left his mouth the front door opened again and a middle aged woman with a sheet of long, straight, black hair and a threadbare coat stepped through the threshold. "Mai-chan this is Watanabe Fei Liu. I met Watanabe-san on the plan to Australia and she has an interesting story." For a a brief moment, Mai saw what a beauty the woman had once been, but the vision passed and she was left with the reality of a warm faced, desperate looking woman.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Characters do not belong to me. Some maybe OOC. This is my first published fanfic so please be kind. Case idea comes from something half-remembered from an old Unsolved Mysteries episode. Enjoy and review please!

Thin Air

Chapter 2

John went through the more typical formal introductions between the two women. Then, Mai offered to get Naru and Lin after she settled the John and Watanebe on the comfortable chairs in the sitting room with fresh tea. As per usual, Naru sat across from the potential client and this time Lin sat on the side taking notes. Mai stood to the side with her every present serving tray to listen.

There was a quiet moment while Watanabe sipped, then suprisingly, "Thank you for the tea. It's delicious." The woman smiled warmly at Mai. "Where do you buy your tea here? I haven't managed to have a decent cup since coming to this country."

"Oh!" Mai felt my cheeks flush a little at the compliment. "I actually make my own blend. Are you from Australia, Watanabe-san?"

"I lived in Australia with my family and my husband before he passed away three years ago. He was Japanese and I am Chinese. I learned the language and he made the tea." She smiled sadly.

In the silent space left by the woman's remembrance, Naru's voice cut through. "Straight to the point, Watanabe-san. What can we do for you here?" said Naru crisply. Ever the tactful one.

Watanabe-san's warm face seemed to take on a business like mask and she began reciting her story with all the facts and exactness of someone who had told it many times before. "My son is missing, possibly dead. He disappeared from our flat 9 months ago. When my husband, Keichi, passed away two years ago, I moved my family here to Tokyo to be closer to his family. I found a great, new western-style apartment so the transition from Australia wouldn't be so hard on my two children. About 3 months after we settled in, my son began to tell me that he was uncomfortable in his bedroom. Motoki was 10." She took a deep breath.

"Motoki disappeared from his bedroom closet 6 months after we moved in. He had become more and more frightened at bed time and began to describe a monster living in his closet. I thought that, between his father passing away and the big move, he was having a difficult time adjusting and he only needed a little extra attention. However, as time passed, he became so scared I would often wake with him sleeping next to me. It came to the point where he wouldn't sleep in his room and hardly ever entered it. One day at a family dinner with his aunts, uncles, and cousins, I confessed my concerns to Keiichi's eldest sister who has three boys of her own, the youngest was 12 at the time. The boy, Juro, overheard and began to tease my Motoki-chan relentlessly over the next couple of months despite whatever his mother and father said to stop him.

"About 2 months after the teasing started, I had the whole family over for dinner. At this point, Motoki would only go in his room during the daylight hours if at all. I was talking to my in-laws in the dining room while Motoki, my daughter Mika, and their five cousins played in the bedrooms when we heard the screaming. Juro had forced Motoki into that closet. When I ran in, the door was shaking hard enough to come off the walls, but no one could open it. Motoki was pounding the door, yelling for help, yelling for me. There is no lock on the closet. My brother in-law even tried breaking it down, but nothing. My boy screamed for an hour before he stopped. He wouldn't answer me - like he couldn't hear me or his uncles talking to him, trying to calm him. He just screamed. What scared me the most, though, was the sudden silence."

Mai stared at the woman, horrified. John-san listened gravely. While Naru and Lin were stoic as usual. She continued her story, "When the screaming stopped, my brother in-law was able to open the door knob easily, but my Motoki-chan wasn't in there. The closet had all of his clothes and some toys, but no Motoki. We called the police right away. They questioned the whole family, questioned Juro. They emptied the closet and searched for any panels or ducts he may have disappeared into. They came up with nothing. The police were clutching at straws and even questioned if I was abusing Motoki. My own son!" Here she paused in disgust. "I broke down for a while and sent Mika to live with my brother and his wife back in Australia while I recovered and tried to find answers. In the mean time, I hired several private investigators. I've spent nearly all my savings. But they, as well, came up with nothing. I've got the results of their investigations and a copy of the police reports here." She pulled a thin file out of her purse and pushed it toward Naru on the table. "Some investigators were so unnerved as to tell me to move out of the apartment right away. I decided against the move since I still haven't found any answers. I was on my way to visit my daughter when I met Brown-san on the plane. We got to talking and he told me about what you do here, Shibuya-san. I visited my daughter, but came back with Brown-san as soon as I could. The only lead I have now is Motoki's closet monster. Can you help me?"

Naru stood, sliding the file into his hands. Watanabe-san, Lin and John stood as well. "I'll call in my team, Watanabe-san. Though, I must say, there is little chance of finding Motoki alive." Even now, after all these years, Mai was still amazed at Naru's insensitivity.

But Watanabe Fei Liu only nodded sadly, looking suddenly beaten down. "I understand. I've come to accept it, but," a hint of steel entered her voice, "I need to know what happened that day in the closet."

"We'll begin our investigation in two days. My assistant, Lin-san, will contact you with anything we may need from you, Watanabe-san." And with that, he walked straight to his office and shut the door. Lin, not having said anything the whole time, at least bowed before he went into his office.

MAi managed not to roll my eyes and only sighed. "There is only a short form we need you to fill in with your contact information, Watanabe-san. Would you like another cup of tea while you fill it out?" Mai asked the suddenly withered woman gently.

"Taniyama-san, was it? No, no thank you. I should get home before it's too dark." She filled out the form and John escorted her outside after a quick goodbye.

Mai tidied up one last time and got ready to leave. She put on her coat and scarf before going to see Lin-san. He was furiously typing away again at his computer. "Here is Watanabe-san's form."

"Thank you, Taniyama-san," he said distractedly.

She stood for a moment then quietly bid him goodnight. She made my way to Naru's door and called, "I'm off!"

She heard through the door, "Be here no later than 8am on Sunday, Mai."

"Yes, Naru-chan." Mai intoned as I walked toward the front door and home. As she walked down the stairs outside, thoughts of Watanabe and her little boy swirling in her mind, she heard the door open and close behind her. Turning Mai saw it was Lin, an unreadable expression on his face. "Heading home, too?" she asked. He nodded standing at the top of the stairs. When he said nothing she began to continue her way down the stairs. "Well, I'll see you 'no later than 8am on Sunday,' Lin-san!"

She already had her hand up to wave when he spoke. "Would you like a ride home, Taniyama-san?" Well, this was another first.

Hiding her surprise she happily accepted. "Sure! Thanks!" They made their way not to the black company van in the parking garage, but to a sleek looking blue car on the street. The pair didn't say anything during the drive across town to Mai's apartment. He surprised her again when he insisted on walking her to her front door instead of just letting her out at the curb. Encouraged by his concern, she acted on the impulse to invite him to stay for dinner - everyone had been over for a home cooked meal at Mai's invitation at some point in time for her home economic's class practice, even Naru and Lin. Although, Lin had never been alone with Mai in her flat before. After a moment's hesitation, he accepted graciously. While Mai cooked, various tempura, rice, and grilled saba, she talked a little about the new case and a little about her life - the great sale on tea sets at the tiny specialty store she frequented, her school friends latest dramas, among other things. Lin was quietly listening, her dialogue not really requiring responses. They sat at her large folding table pleasant and quiet, home made meal on her studio floor. And though he was mostly silent that evening, Lin seemed to enjoy himself as Mai related some ridiculous stories from her childhood, like the time when she tried to run away on her plastic tricycle when her mother forced her to eat vegetables. He even laughed at some parts. Not like he had laughed earlier, no, but he definitely smiled and chuckled.

It was a bit surreal for both of them. Mai wasn't quite sure what to make of this relaxed side of Lin. He was too easy to talk to. She was surprisingly comfortable around him when she'd hardly had any experience with males as friends or otherwise. Lin, on the other hand, was startled to realize that he liked to hear Mai talk. He always had. He liked the sound of her voice and the open emotions that flit across her features. And he loved her cooking.

Lin offered to do the dishes and Mai allowed him to scrub away while she asked him about any funny childhood stories. He only shared one story, but it was a good one about being separated from his father at a market and managing to get helped back home boy a friendly transvestite prostitute named Kinky that nearly gave his mother heart failure at their front door.

When at her own door to say goodbye to Lin, Mai became suddenly shy. She wanted to tell him that she'd had fun, that she enjoyed his company, that she liked feeling comfortable around him, that she was very happy they had become friends, but she only managed to smile at him like a fool. But Lin smiled back and spoke with a glitter his eye, "Thank you for the delicious dinner, Mai-chan. I'll see you on Sunday." And he was out the door and in the elevator before she could form a decent reply.

That night, as she tried to get some well-deserved rest, Mai thought about the men in her life. The boys at school didn't count as men, she had only 2 male teachers, and they were nice but distant. Her boss, his assistant, a monk,and a priest were the main male influences in her life, even though they sounded like the start of a really bad '-walked into a bar' joke. Bou-san was the cool older brother that was always there for her and all her girlfriends crushed on. John was sweet, in a completely non-sexual, puppy dog kind of way. She could tell him any secret since that crate incident. She considered her relationships with Naru and with Lin. She had imagined them to be very similar when we first met, though Naru held a great appeal her romantic nature for some reason. Both were cold, dark, arrogant, smart, and devastatingly handsome and as little interested in friendship as anyone she had ever met. But as time passed, the Naru-chan of my first impression remained mostly the same and the Lin-san of my first impression, morphed into a quiet, if not silent, warm and humble man who was surprisingly good company. It was incredibly pleasant to build this light friendship with him. While she always felt a happy sort of anticipation when she knew she'd be seeing the whole team together again, Mai found herself looking forward to Sunday morning and seeing Lin.

It was only when she was a breath away from unconsciousness when her brain realized he'd called her Mai and not Taniyama. She fell asleep smiling.


End file.
